The look in Baekho's eyes were fiery and serious. I scowled as I held onto the chain. If something happened to his friend in this game, I was bound to get into trouble with him and I rather avoid that for now since we were just starting to get to know each other. But I still disagreed to it. There would not be enough space for all of us to be left on the closing platform. That's right. No matter how much it closed in on us, one wrong move and we would fall and if all of the platform were to close, none of us would be left standing. Then, what was the purpose of the game? Was it to fall? No, that wouldn't be how a game was supposed to go. Then why choose a game such as this that would eliminate so many people already? That wouldn't make sense. In that case, there shouldn't even be an option to join if everyone could have just died here. Nobody would win the game.

"This isn't a game," I said and Baekho looked at me confusedly. "I mean, this game is just too weird."

"What are you talking about? Now isn't the time to be cryptic, Minhyun."

"If his goal was to kill all of us, why did he let us choose to play? And this game eliminates too many people. Without players, there can't be games."

"What?" He looked even more confused and that was fine because I was just as confused but before I could continue trying to make sense of what I said, I felt an arm push me and I stumbled. Baekho kept his hold on me but the hand was persistent as a pair tried to shove their way to the inner area. It was a man with a lady.

"Move aside!" they snapped at us. It was hard to keep my footing on the metallic surface and I felt myself inching closer to the side that suddenly seemed awfully close as another pair fell while screaming their lungs out close by. I could see the edge despite Baekho's efforts to keep me close to him.

"Oh , oh ," Baekho muttered while trying to pull me closer. We had to push if we wanted to stay up but I didn't want to. I felt horrible. I wanted to survive yet pushing others off just to achieve that didn't seem to fit my principles. Just then, Baekho pushed back while wrapping an arm around my waist. "Oh no. We are not falling."

I flinched and blinked furiously as he held me close. It was awkward but we slowly moved away from the edge amidst the shrinking crowd. There were still forces shoving us, shifting us but he kept a steady hold on me as we waddled back and forth together along with his friend and his partner. Trying our best to stay on the platform while not pushing others off. I felt the edge suddenly shift in under my feet and yelped.

"Just push them off!"

"We won't die here!"

"Wha-"

Hoshi fell forward, dragging the both of us along. I was about to let go when Baekho suddenly moved backwards forcefully. The other two swung back towards us and he let go of my waist.

"Trust me," he told me and I gasped as I slipped off the edge.

"Baekho!!" Hoshi yelled as he stepped back as well. There wasn't enough space for us to stay on it with the remaining players being more aggressive.

And so I fell.

Clang.

I cried out in pain as the handcuff kept me from falling all the way down to oblivion. I couldn't tell if Baekho was on the other side in the same condition as me or if he was trying to hold me up while still on the platform but I couldn't see Hoshi either, just his partner peering down at me as I held onto the chain for dear life. I bit my lip and tried to teach up with my other hand to lessen the pressure but the pain of the cuff digging into my skin made it difficult for me to concentrate. I winced and tried to calm down.

"We have to help them," Hoshi's partner spoke but the platform was still closing in on them.

"How?! Wah!" I could hear the other male yelling and soon, his head poked out the edge as someone was trying to push him off as well.

"Hoshi!" I heard Baekho but his voice was quite distant as well which only strengthened my guess that he had fallen and was in the same condition as me as he was not helping his friend.

"Hey, get off him!"

I placed my leg against the wall or what I assume was a wall and tried to climb but it was slippery. I managed to hold onto the chain and tried to pull myself up.

"No! Woozi!"

I looked up and gasped, taking notice of Hoshi's partner falling. I gritted my teeth and managed to grab him by the chain before he completely disappeared from sight. I hissed as the chain dragged along my skin before he stopped falling. I looked up to find Hoshi trying to hold onto him.

"Hey!" I yelled out to Hoshi.

"W-what?" he grunted. There was only enough space on the platform for one row of people left and from the looks of it, there weren't that many either. Their struggles had caused themselves or others to fall down.

"Fall to the other side!"

"What?!"

"Hang on like Baekho!"

Hoshi turned behind and gulped before turning forward. I cried out and bit my lip as I was trying not to break my own wrist while helping him hold onto Woozi. Hoshi panted and skidded backwards as he dropped himself. Instantly, the weight started to balance off each sides. I knew there wouldn't be enough space on the platform left for any one of us to stay standing and the remaining ones either did the same as us or suffered an imminent fate.

I didn't know how long I held on for unwillingly but the next thing I knew a loud sound rang in the space we were before a flash of light filled with vision.

I opened my eyes when I felt ground beneath my body. I blinked and breathed in before coughin slightly as I pushed myself up from the ground. The hall was different from what I last recalled. The machine wasn't there anymore and the ceiling was no longer dome shaped either. I heard a groan and turned to find Baekho, Hoshi and his partner all waking up too. There were several others too but definitely way lesser than what we started out with. I blinked and gritted my teeth.

"This isn't real," I whispered as I sat up. "There's no way they're dead...."

Baekho looked at me and turned away, unsure what he should say either.

"Welcome back from your very first game! How was it? Exciting?!" Prism cheered as he popped out right before us. Just materialised from thin air. Hoshi got up immediately and grasped him by the collar.

"How could you do that?! Where are they?! Where is everyone else?" he yelled, gaze throwing daggers at him. Woozi pulled him away.

"Calm down, Hoshi! You saw what he did to those guys before."

Prism fixed his outfit and chuckled. "Yes, yes. Good move on your part, Woozi. Well then, congratulations on winning your first game. I am so pleased to see more than one pair alive. Wouldn't be a game with only one pair left, would it?"

"You're mad!" someone else snapped. Baekho helped me up and I frowned.

"Clearly, I'm not or everyone would have died in a splendid blood bath. Either ways, it's time to go back to your rooms. Off you go."

"Why do we have to go back?" Baekho asked. "Not enough time has passed for a day yet."

Prism turned to him and I shuddered, unconsciously grabbing onto his sleeve.

"Because those are my rules. And remember, you shouldn't question my rules."

I gulped and nodded.

"Baekho."

The other stepped down and some had already started down the hallway. Prism bowed and disappeared again.

"Hah.... Is this seriously happening?" Baekho asked and I shrugged.

"This is our reality now... Whether we like it or not," I said softly and was about to drag him to the room when Hoshi stopped us.

"Hey. Thanks for earlier, both of you," Hoshi said and smiled. He hugged us and I flinched slightly. "I thought I was going to die... Twice."

"Thank you," Woozi said as well. Baekho nodded and patted Hoshi on the back.

"No problem... I'm just glad you're both alright," Baekho said tiredly. "We should head back to our rooms before prism head decides to do something about it. We can talk later."

"Right. Let's go."

I noticed how there were fewer doors which meant fewer rooms and fewer people but each door still had our respective names on them. The two of us entered our shared room and I bumped into Baekho after I shut the door. Confused, I looked up to find Prism in our room. I blinked in confusion as the strange man turned around.

"Welcome back."

"Are you here in our room specifically or are you... In all the rooms?" Baekho asked curiously.

"Smart man. I am here and everywhere. I am here to present your prize!"

"Prize?" I exchanged looks with Baekho as we both approached Prism who didn't seem as threatening as when he was standing above everyone else.

"For winning this first round, I shall answer one question of yours. So, make sure to be wise when you pick your question because you might not receive the same prize twice."

Baekho grabbed me and pulled me to the corner of the room.

"You trust this dude?" he hissed as quietly as he could and I quirked a brow at him.

"You kidding me? That guy killed people and forced us into this but he's also our only clue out of this."

I peered at the male who just stood there and gulped.

"Hey, Prism. Will you answer any kind of question we asked you honestly?"

"Is that the question you wish to have an answer to?"

Baekho yelped and smacked me on the arm which made me jolt in return. "OW!"

"S-sorry. No, that's not the question! Come on, man. We gotta think this through. We should ask him how to win this game. That's the most important thing right now."

"I don't think he would give us an honest answer to that question... Maybe we should ask what's the purpose of this game instead or... Or... If people really die in this game... Because if we do, there wouldn't have been a point to allow us to choose to play to begin with and also the game shouldn't have been so difficult. Just force us all into a corner and kill us all. That would have been easier."

"It was barely even a game..."

"Exactly... That's why we should know what actually happens to us if we end up losing a game... Plus we didn't actually see any actual deaths earlier... Everyone just fell but there's no saying that they actually survived..."

"Agh. I don't know! Seriously, doesn't he already answer questions when we ask him? So why is this so difficult now?" Baekho grumbled and I thought about it too.

"Think about it this way. He doesn't have to answer the questions if we ask him in the hall but right now, he will answer the question. Which is why he asks us to think wisely... About what we would ask him."

"But that doesn't mean he can't lie or... Give us some stupid roundabout answer," he scowled and I nodded. That was true and we didn't even know how much of what he said was true anyways. I looked at Prism who just stood there. He felt... Different. I squinted, wondering why but realised I should probably not get too curious or my train of thought would head in a different direction instead.

"What about this, let's ask him if we can get out of this place back to reality if we actually participated in the games....?"

"... I still think asking about our deaths is more important right now..."

~~~

Victory or death?

Whichever are you more curious about?

> How to win

> The aftermath of death